In a series of complaints left on Obama’s Instagram page, folks voiced their disappointment with the first lady for participating in an event that solely highlighted African-American girls.

“I am all for the empowerment of disadvantaged groups, I just don’t see how alienating an oppressed group i.e. women by focusing on a subset of that group, helps anyone,” one commenter wrote.

“If a white person posted this and it said white girls rock…the sh-t would hit the fan,” wrote another person voiced.

The negative feedback from Obama’s appearance at “Black Girls Rock!” comes after #whitegirlsrock became a trending topic on Twitter during last year’s broadcast of the event. On Saturday (March 28), Obama’s personal aide Kristin Jones announced that she would be taking over the first lady’s Instagram account.

“Black Girls Rock is leaving out all other girls of color. Brown is a color, yellow is a color, red is a color and yes, white is still a color. One day racism will end because we no longer NOTICE the color of our fellow human beings. ALL girls rock,” an Instagram user posted.

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/michelle-obama-sparks-social-media-outrage-over-appearance-at-black-girls-rock/feed/36TV Michelle Obama-ap-447bawtonyapendletonStudent Loan Recipients On Debt Strike After School Closeshttp://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/student-loan-recipients-on-debt-strike-after-school-closes/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/student-loan-recipients-on-debt-strike-after-school-closes/#commentsTue, 31 Mar 2015 14:01:59 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=380073]]>WASHINGTON (AP) — Sarah Dieffenbacher is on a debt strike. She’s refusing to make payments on the more than $100,000 in federal and private loans she says she owes for studies at a for-profit college that she now considers so worthless she doesn’t include it on her resume.

The sentiment is catching on.

Calling themselves the “Corinthian 100″ — named for the troubled Corinthian Colleges, Inc., which operated Everest College, Heald College and WyoTech before agreeing last summer to sell or close its 100-plus campuses — about 100 current and former students are refusing to pay back their loans, according to the Debt Collective group behind the strike.

They’re meeting Tuesday with officials from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an independent government agency that already has asked the courts to grant relief to Corinthian students who collectively have taken out more than $500 million in private student loans.

The Education Department is the group’s primary target, because they want the department to discharge their loans. A senior department official is scheduled to attend the meeting.

Denise Horn, an Education Department spokeswoman, said the department has taken steps to help Corinthian students, but is urging them to make payments to avoid default. The department has income-based repayment options.

By not paying back their loans, the former Corinthian students potentially face a host of financial problems, such as poor credit ratings and greater debt because of interest accrued.

The former students argue that the department should have done a better job regulating the schools and informing students that they were under investigation.

The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index rose 4.6 percent in January compared with 12 months earlier, S&P said Tuesday. That is up from growth of 4.4 percent in December.

Few Americans have listed their homes for sale, with the tight inventory keeping prices higher. Robust hiring and low mortgage rates have raised the possibility of stronger sales, yet home prices have appreciated at a significantly faster pace than earnings.

“Home prices are rising roughly twice as fast as wages, putting pressure on potential homebuyers and heightening the risk that any uptick in interest rates could be a major setback,” said David Blitzer, chairman of the index committee for S&P Dow Jones Indices

The Case-Shiller index covers roughly half of U.S. homes. The index measures prices compared with those in January 2000 and creates a three-month moving average. The January figures are the latest available.

Housing inventories have been tight since December. The number of homes for sale in February was equal to just 4.6 months of sales, compared to an average of 5.2 months last year. Six months of supply is typical for a healthy housing market.

All 20 cities reported higher prices than a year earlier. Denver reported the largest gains, with prices up 8.4 percent. Miami prices jumped by 8.3 percent, while Dallas homes appreciated at 8.1 percent. Home appreciation nearly plateaued in Washington, DC, where prices rose just 1.3 percent.

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/u-s-home-prices-show-modes-increase/feed/0AP-USHomeSales-447bawtonyapendletonInvestigation, Identification Continues In French Plane Crashhttp://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/investigation-identification-continues-in-french-plane-crash/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/investigation-identification-continues-in-french-plane-crash/#commentsTue, 31 Mar 2015 13:40:09 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=380055]]>PARIS (AP) — French aviation investigators said Tuesday they will examine “systemic weaknesses” like cockpit entry rules and psychological screening procedures that could have led to the Germanwings plane crash — issues that could affect the worldwide aviation industry.

Lufthansa, meanwhile, said its insurers had set aside $300 million to deal with possible fallout from the March 24 crash.

The announcement by the French aviation agency BEA signaled the latest re-think about airline procedures in the wake of the Germanwings crash, which jolted an aviation industry already reeling after one passenger plane disappeared into an ocean and another was shot out of the sky over war-torn eastern Ukraine.

Authorities say Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, who in the past had been treated for suicidal tendencies, locked his captain out of the cockpit before deliberately crashing the Airbus 320 into a mountain in the French Alps. All the 150 people aboard Flight 9525 from Barcelona to Duesseldorf were killed that day.

BEA said it aims to provide a “detailed analysis” of the Germanwings cockpit voice recorder and any other flight data — but it also plans to widen its search to examine issues that could be problematic for all airlines.

“(We will study) systemic weaknesses (that) might possibly have led to this aviation disaster,” BEA said in its first statement since prosecutors detailed the co-pilot’s suspected role in the crash.

The agency is studying both psychological screening procedures and rules applied to entering and leaving the cockpit, as well as cockpit door locking systems.

BEA’s investigation runs parallel to a criminal probe being led by prosecutors. Both are investigating what happened with the flight. The end goal of the criminal investigation is to hold someone responsible. The end goal of the BEA investigation is to make recommendations to aviation authorities to prevent similar accidents from happening again.

If the French agency discovers wider aviation problems, that could spark industry regulators and airline companies worldwide to make changes. Several airlines and the European aviation regulator have already changed procedures after the Germanwings crash, announcing last week that they now recommend having two people in the cockpit at all times.

In Frankfurt, Lufthansa spokeswoman Kerstin Lau said $300 million is the amount currently reserved by insurers to deal with “all costs arising in connection with the case.”

Lufthansa — Germanwings’ parent company — offered immediate aid last week of up to 50,000 euros ($54,250) per passenger to relatives of the victims. Those payments are separate from eventual compensation payments.

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/investigation-identification-continues-in-french-plane-crash/feed/0AP-GermanwingsPlaneCrash-660bawtonyapendletonCase Gets To ‘Heaven’s Door,’ With New Music And Shares Making A Video With A Young Beyonce [VIDEO]http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/case-gets-to-heavens-door-with-new-music-and-shares-making-a-video-with-a-young-beyonce/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/case-gets-to-heavens-door-with-new-music-and-shares-making-a-video-with-a-young-beyonce/#commentsTue, 31 Mar 2015 13:08:51 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=379676]]>

In 2009, R&B singer Case who had the 90’s hits “Touch Me Tease Me,” “Faded Pictures” and Happily Ever After”felt like music wasn’t what he wanted to do anymore.

“The business had taken away my joy of making music,” he says.

Fortunately for music fans, he’s reconsidered and is back with a new project. The first single “Shook Up” is out now and his fifth CD, Heaven’s Door, is out Tuesday, March 31.

Case says it was the death of his late grandmother that made him reconsider, along with the death of a superstar he was inspired by.

“From the time I was a little kid, she was real instrumental [in my musical career] from the time I was a kid. She introduced me to Ray Charles’ music and James Brown and she would make us do concerts for company. And then a month later, Michael Jackson passed who was the first person I really idolized in music. When they passed it made me go back and listen to that old stuff and that’s what sparked it back.”

Case, a New York City native that was the last artist on Def Jam that Russell Simmons personally signed says that he’d been ready to just do shows, collect residuals and take his four kids back and forth to school, but those death sparked a creative renaissance that got him back in the studio. The result is Heaven’s Door, which is no departure from the kinds of sultry ballads that made him a reliable hitmaker in the 90’s.

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/case-gets-to-heavens-door-with-new-music-and-shares-making-a-video-with-a-young-beyonce/feed/0casenewCD-660bawtonyapendletonLittle Known Black History Fact: Wayne Embryhttp://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/little-known-black-history-fact-wayne-embry/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/little-known-black-history-fact-wayne-embry/#commentsTue, 31 Mar 2015 05:00:09 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=379611]]>Wayne Embry made history by becoming not only the NBA’s first Black general manager, but the first Black general manager of any of the four major U.S. sports. Embry a former NBA player was a five-time All-Star and an NBA champion.

The Springfield, Ohio native made his mark as a player at Miami University in the town of Oxford, Ohio. Selected in the NBA draft by the St. Louis Hawks in 1958, Embry was then traded to the Cincinnati Royals. In 1960, the legendary Oscar “Big O” Robertson joined the team. As both the team and Embry were bolstered by the addition of Robertson, Embry then starred in five consecutive All-Star games.

Standing at 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Embry was an imposing figure nicknamed “The Wall” because of his formidable frame. In 1966, Embry was talked out of retirement by his friend, Celtics player/coach Bill Russell. The move paid off for Embry, Russell and the Celtics after the squad notched the NBA championship in 1968. Embry then headed to the newly formed Milwaukee Bucks team, retiring officially in 1969.

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/little-known-black-history-fact-wayne-embry/feed/0NBA-WayneEmbry-660bawtonyapendletonUConn, Maryland, Notre Dame and South Carolina Head To Women’s Final Fourhttp://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/uconn-maryland-notre-dame-and-south-carolina-head-to-womens-final-four/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/uconn-maryland-notre-dame-and-south-carolina-head-to-womens-final-four/#commentsTue, 31 Mar 2015 04:54:04 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=379702]]>The women’s Final Four will have a familiar feel to it with three of last year’s teams back in the national semifinals.

UConn, Notre Dame and Maryland all return to the Final Four while South Carolina is making its first appearance.

It’s the third time in the history of the Final Four that all four of the top seeds made it this far.

“That’s the way it is in women’s basketball,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “The absolute best teams get to the Final Four. I’m not one bit surprised Notre Dame and South Carolina are there. That’s the way it is in our game. The best teams go to the Final Four every year.”

The Huskies will be trying for their third straight national championship and 10th overall which would move Geno Auriemma into a tie with vaunted UCLA men’s coach John Wooden for the most all-time.

UConn will face Maryland and Notre Dame faces South Carolina on Sunday in Tampa, Florida. Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley will become the second person to both play and coach in the Final Four.

South Carolina is the Final Four newcomer, making its first appearance in the national semifinals. Coach Dawn Staley became the second person to both play and coach in the Final Four joining Baylor’s Kim Mulkey.

“We are not just going to show up and just be happy to be there,” Staley said. “This particular regional final game isn’t the destination game for what we set out to do this season.

“So, you know, I think this was a statement game because we are going to — we punched our ticket into the Final Four, and now it’s time to maybe check off some things that we’ve wanted to do, which is win the national championship.”

Here’s some other things to look for this weekend:

___

WELCOME BACK: The Southeastern Conference had one of the most dominant stretches in women’s basketball sending at least one team to the Final Four from 1982-2008 in every season but two. That run ended when Tennessee celebrated its second straight national championship in Tampa, Florida in 2008. The conference, which only missed having teams in that run in 1992 and 2001, hadn’t had a team back since until South Carolina made it this year.

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/uconn-maryland-notre-dame-and-south-carolina-head-to-womens-final-four/feed/0Dawn StaleybawtonyapendletonPresident Obama To Travel To Kenya This Summerhttp://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/president-obama-to-travel-to-kenya-this-summer/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/president-obama-to-travel-to-kenya-this-summer/#commentsTue, 31 Mar 2015 04:23:54 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=379687]]>The White House announced Monday thatPresident Barack Obama will make his first trip to his father’s native Kenya as President this summer.

Obama will travel to Kenya in July for bilateral meetings and the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit, an annual conference that connects entrepreneurs with business leaders, international organizations, and governments, reports CNN.

“His trip will build on the success of the August 2014 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit and continue our efforts to work with countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, to accelerate economic growth, strengthen democratic institutions, and improve security,” Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement.

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/31/president-obama-to-travel-to-kenya-this-summer/feed/0Barack ObamabawtonyapendletonStudy Says Gay Black Men Earn More Than Straight Ones Dohttp://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/study-says-gay-black-men-earn-more-than-straight-ones-do/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/study-says-gay-black-men-earn-more-than-straight-ones-do/#commentsTue, 31 Mar 2015 03:59:00 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=379670]]>Its no surprise that being a black man in the U. S. is tough. Nor is it a surprise that being a gay black man is seen by many as double-jeopardy – the whole double minority thing. But as it turns out, being a black gay man has its benefits. Especially when it comes to the corporate world, according to a study done by Princeton University.

And that may come as a surprise to many.

The study was led by sociologist David Pedulla, who directed his researchers to explore what effects race and sexuality have on the chances of being considered for jobs and starting salaries. And what they ended up with is that a gay African-American man not only stands a better chance of landing a job, but also getting paid better than his heterosexual counterpart.

So contrary to popular belief, where two minority groups are considered, again, double-jeopardy, apparently that doesn’t apply here; where it seems to work for you rather than against.

According to Financial Juneteenth, past studies have laid out the disadvantages faced by a man who is black and gay. A 2003 study showed both straight and gay African-American men with no negative history still face more difficulty getting jobs than their white counterparts with a crime record. Another study also found that Black teens who are gay are more likely to become homeless than their gay peers from other races.

So how did the Princeton researchers come to this latest conclusion, which is so far-fetched than previous studies?

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/study-says-gay-black-men-earn-more-than-straight-ones-do/feed/4thoughtful young african american businessmanbawtonyapendleton‘The Wiz’ Musical To Air Live On NBC In Decemberhttp://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/the-wiz-musical-to-air-live-on-nbc-in-december/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/the-wiz-musical-to-air-live-on-nbc-in-december/#commentsTue, 31 Mar 2015 03:43:38 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=379656]]>Slide some oil to the Peacock…NBC has announced that its next live musical television event will be The Wiz to air Thursday, Dec. 3, reports Variety.

The Wiz marks NBC’s third live musical production, after The Sound of Music Live! starring Carrie Underwood and Peter Pan Live! in which Brian Williams’ daughter Allison Williams played the title character.

The Wiz will be co-produced by Cirque du Soleil’s new stage theatrical division. After the television event, the musical will make its Broadway revival for the 2016-17 season, also presented by Cirque du Soleil.

Casting for both projects is yet to be announced.

Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who exec produced NBC’s Sound of Music and Peter Pan, return as exec producers. Kenny Leon will direct both the TV production and the Broadway revival, along with Harvey Fierstein, who will contribute new material to the original Broadway book by William F. Brown.

“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to not only produce this as our next live musical for NBC, but to then see it move to Broadway for a new generation to experience,” said Zadan.

Meron added, “It will be a joy to work again with Kenny Leon, who did ‘Steel Magnolias’ and ‘Raisin in the Sun’ with us.”

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/the-wiz-musical-to-air-live-on-nbc-in-december/feed/1TheWiz-660bawtonyapendletonRestaurant Patron Goes To ‘Help’ Crying Child And His Mother Goes Off [WATCH]http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/restaurant-patron-goes-to-help-crying-child-and-his-mother-goes-off-watch/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/restaurant-patron-goes-to-help-crying-child-and-his-mother-goes-off-watch/#commentsTue, 31 Mar 2015 02:06:35 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=379560]]>A You Tube video that has gone viral has generated fierce debate on social media about whether or not it’s OK to intervene when a child is disturbing others in a public place.

WARNING: Graphic language

As you’ll see on the video, reportedly shot at Albany Hospital in upstate New York, before the recording begins, a mother was in the hospital restaurant talking on the phone for at least 20 minutes while her baby screamed nonstop. Another woman came over to offer assistance and and the mother said she didn’t need it.

But the supposed Good Samaritan who said she was trying to ‘help’ wouldn’t leave the mother’s table and the mother got increasingly agitated as patrons not only started recording the incident but called police when the two got physical.

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/restaurant-patron-goes-to-help-crying-child-and-his-mother-goes-off-watch/feed/40African American baby cryingbawtonyapendletonJames Bond Actor Roger Moore Says Idris Elba Comments ‘Taken Out Of Context’http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/james-bond-actor-roger-moore-says-idris-elba-comments-taken-out-of-context/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/james-bond-actor-roger-moore-says-idris-elba-comments-taken-out-of-context/#commentsMon, 30 Mar 2015 16:23:51 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=379185]]>Actor Roger Moore, who played the fictional spy James Bond in seven movies from 1973-1985 says he was misquoted in comments in a recent interview about fellow Brit star Idris Elba’s chances of playing James Bond. The now 87-year-old actor who debonair style made him one of the most popular Bonds ever, was quotes as saying someone who played the role should be “English English.”

Roger Moore has denied making racist comments about Idris Elba’s chances of replacing Daniel Craig as James Bond.

[Moore] was quoted by Paris Match saying: “A few years ago, I said that Cuba Gooding Jr. would make an excellent Bond, but it was a joke!” He reportedly continued, “Although James may have been played by a Scot, a Welshman and an Irishman, I think he should be ‘English-English’. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting idea, but unrealistic.”

The comments caused a Twitter storm of protest, with both “Roger Moore” and “Idris Elba” trending in the social network over the weekend. Elba, 42, is the bookmaker’s favourite to replace Daniel Craig and has received the current 007’s seal of approval. But Moore then took to Twitter to suggest he had been misquoted.

Moore also replied to a follower explaining his position. He wrote: “@FrediSmith when a journalist asks if ‘bond should be English’ and you agree, then quotes you saying it about Idris Elba it’s out of context.” He also retweeted another follower’s comment:

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/2015-mercedes-benz-cls400-coupe-a-fuel-efficient-distinctively-styled-german-engineered-machine/feed/0MercedesBenzCLS400bawtonyapendletonStevie Wonder Surprises Baptist Church With Appearance And Gifthttp://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/stevie-wonder-surprises-baptist-church-with-appearance-and-gift/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/stevie-wonder-surprises-baptist-church-with-appearance-and-gift/#commentsMon, 30 Mar 2015 15:31:07 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=379199]]>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Those attending New Salem Baptist Church in north Minneapolis were surprised by a famous visitor during Sunday’s service.

There in the front pew was singer, songwriter and musicianStevie Wonderwho happened to be in town for a performance at the Target Center.

The Rev. Jerry McAfee knows Wonder and extended an invitation to the Sunday service. Church members cheered when Wonder rose to sing a favorite hymn, “I Won’t Complain.”

Minneapolis’ WCCO-TV says Wonder is known for speaking out against violence during stops on his concert tours, specifically in the African-American community.

Toward the end of the service there was another surprise. Wonder said he would donate $10,000 to the church.

You know those people whose faces you see on TV and in movies all the time but don’t know their names? That’s Edwina Findley Dickerson. The Washington, D.C. native started out on The Wire straight out of college. She played gay drug dealer Omar’s right-hand woman, Tosha Mitchell.

“I was 21, running around with Omar, shooting people, gang-banging and look where we are now,” says Findley Dickerson.

She’s currently starring as Kevin Hart’s wife in Get Hard and also stars as Kelly on OWN’s If Loving You Is Wrong now in its second season.

“I think people are going to be excited about Kelly’s journey this season,” she says. “She’s starting to learn how to live on her own two feet. She’s been so betrayed, she’s given everything and compromised everything for this man and now the tables are turning and he’s going to pine for her the way she was pining for him. So I think people are going to enjoy seeing the tables shift.”

Findley Robinson has put together a steady stream of work including the Ava Duvernay directed movie Middle of Nowhere, the ABC series Brothers and Sisters and the HBO Hurricane Katrina series Treme. But because of her seamless acting and ability to disappear into a role, she may not be as well known as other young up-and-coming actresses.

“I just believe in purpose. I believe if you’re living in your purpose then you’re always doing something that goes along with your purpose. When I’m not acting I have a whole organization, Abundant Life Youth. We’re doing a school right now and we’re training up other artists. I fee like if I’m not performing I’m encouraging others to perform, when I’m not flourishing, I’m encouraging others to flourish, whether it’s in front of or behind the camera or with other young adults so I always feel satisfied.”

Weight loss is a challenge for most of us, but thanks to Dr. Ian Smith, it’s gotten a little easier. Not only does Smith promote the Shred diet, which has helped thousands successfully lose weight, he’s backing up his now-famous diet with a new cookbook.

The SHRED Diet Cookbook brings Smith’s dieting principles to life with some surprisingly tasty choices.

“What kind of cookbook you know can eat barbecue chicken, barbecue steak, eggplant parmigiana, black-eyed peas salad, that’s how it goes,” says Smith. “Honey-glazed carrots. All these recipes are 30 minutes or less. They are not gourmet recipes that you have to go to a gourmet store or a fancy store. They are simple foods that you already have in your house. I teach you how to cook in a way not to compromise the flavor. People see healthy food, they already think no flavor. The biggest compliment I get is when people open up the Shred diet cookbook and they say ‘I can have this on a diet?”

Smith says that the keys to success on his Shred diet are making small changes that make a difference. For instance, with his barbecue chicken, you cook it with the skin off, rub it in flour and then flash saute it to get a crust. That reduces calories by 40%. Also portion control makes a difference.

As far as shopping for foods for the recipes in the book, Smith says you don’t always have to go organic. The distinction is mostly for fruits and vegetables where you eat the skin, not for ones like oranges and bananas where you peel the skin off. Organic foods do help the environment, so if that’s a concern to you and you can afford it, go ahead.

“If you organically farm, you save the environment. We have not transformed that into meaning that it’s healthier. That’s not necessarily so. As for GMO’s (genetically modified foods) I’m a non-GMO person for sure. They are working on regulations for that. They will say it on the label [if the food is non-GMO.]”

Another point of contention in healthy eating is the controversy over sugar, which health experts says should be completely eliminated from your diet. Sugar, both natural and added, is part of many foods – even ones like ketchup that you wouldn’t ordinarily think of.

“The Shred diet is all about moderation. I wrote this cookbook is I wanted to show people you still can have the foods that you like. I bake cake, I eat cookies, but its in moderation,” says Smith. “I work out, too. This is for people trying to lose weight or eat healthier. A guy tweeted me and said he lost 7 pounds using the cookbook in two weeks. That’s why I wrote this you don’t have to spend a lot of money to eat healthy.”

Smith recommends four meals and two snacks a day with snacks not over 150 calories. He also says it’s a good idea to replace one meal with a shake, smoothie or soup.

Dr. Ian has joined Roland Martin in the Shred Diet Challenge – Week One is over but you can join up and lose weight along with them. Check out the diet book and the cookbook HERE.

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/dr-ian-wants-you-to-shred-video/feed/1drianshredckbk-660bawtonyapendletonshreddietcookbook_cover300After Two Men Found Dead In NYC Gas Explosion Rubble, Focus Moves To Causehttp://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/after-two-men-found-dead-in-nyc-gas-explosion-rubble-focus-moves-to-cause/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/after-two-men-found-dead-in-nyc-gas-explosion-rubble-focus-moves-to-cause/#commentsMon, 30 Mar 2015 05:42:55 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=378917]]>NEW YORK (AP) — After two bodies were pulled from the rubble of a Manhattan apartment building collapse, authorities shifted their focus to what caused the massive explosion and fire and the possibility that someone may have improperly tapped a gas line serving one of the buildings.

“There’s reason to believe so far that there may have been inappropriate tampering with the gas lines within the building, but until we get full evidence we can’t conclude that,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday.

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said crews should reach the cellar level where the explosion took place by Monday.

“When we reach the level of the gas piping, the way the debris is removed will change so that those who will investigate the mechanics of what happened will have access to that without it being torn apart,” Nigro said.

The names of the two men found Sunday were not immediately released. Authorities believe they are the two men reported missing after Thursday’s explosion and fire that leveled three buildings and injured 22 people, including four critically. They were identified as Moises Lucon, 26, who worked inside a ground floor sushi restaurant, and Nicholas Figueroa, 23, a bowling alley worker who had been there on a date.

A spokesman for the Figueroa family confirmed to reporters at the city Medical Examiner’s office on Sunday that Figueroa’s body was pulled from the wreckage.

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/after-two-men-found-dead-in-nyc-gas-explosion-rubble-focus-moves-to-cause/feed/0AP-GasexplosionNYC-447bawtonyapendletonFlorida Spring Break Shooting May Curtail Future Eventshttp://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/florida-spring-break-shooting-may-curtail-future-events/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/florida-spring-break-shooting-may-curtail-future-events/#commentsMon, 30 Mar 2015 05:23:31 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=378900]]>PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A house party that dissolved into a hail of gunfire and left seven young people hurt has officials on the Florida Panhandle pondering what to do with a spring break season they say has gotten out of control.

The raucous parties in the spring break capital of Panama City Beach have had politicians, police and businesses tussling for years over how much to crack down on a key economic force.

That debate was revived again when a packed gathering of dancing 20-somethings turned into a sprawling crime scene early Saturday.

“This is what we’ve been trying to warn people about,” said Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen. “It was only a matter of time and it’s only a matter of time until it happens again if we don’t address it.”

The city council held an emergency meeting Saturday to address spring break, allocating up to $200,000 in additional spending for increased police patrols. But motions introduced by Councilman Keith Curry to ban alcohol on the beach and to roll back the last-call on alcohol sales two hours earlier to midnight were unsuccessful.

“We have blood on our hands,” Curry told his fellow council members.

McKeithen had urged the beach alcohol ban and midnight last-call last year, but council members decided against them, instead rolling back last-call from 4 a.m. to 2 a.m. Curry said Sunday he realized they made a mistake as he went on patrols with police in recent weeks, saw the drug arrests for heroin and an increasingly popular club drug called Molly, as well as the number of guns that have been confiscated.

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/florida-spring-break-shooting-may-curtail-future-events/feed/1AP-floridaspringbreakshooting-660bawtonyapendletonLittle Known Black History Fact: Blind Tom Wigginshttp://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/little-known-black-history-fact-blind-tom-wiggins/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/little-known-black-history-fact-blind-tom-wiggins/#commentsMon, 30 Mar 2015 05:00:07 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=378801]]>Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins was a blind piano prodigy so popular that it has been alleged that he was the highest-paid pianist of the 19th Century. Wiggins was celebrated for his ability, but his success came at the price of his dignity.

Wiggins was born May 25, 1849 to slave parents, Charity and Mingo Wiggins in Harris County, Ga. The family was sold to Columbus lawyer, Gen. James Bethune. Because of Wiggins’ blindness, he didn’t work, but by age four, people noticed that Wiggins could imitate sounds and music. He then started to pick up piano notes and songs. Bethune sensed that the child was gifted and nurtured Wiggins with lessons and access to music.

By the time he was nine years old, Wiggins reportedly made as much as $15,000 per performance, which were billed as “exhibitions.” In essence, Bethune rendered Wiggins into a slave-musician who fattened the pockets of his owners. According to accounts, Wiggins could play his own takes on classic works from Bach, Chopin, Liszt, and Mozart along with using the piano to imitate other sounds. Because of his extraordinary memory, Wiggins became a novelty act and played games with the audience by playing their original compositions note for note.

If Wiggins could hear it, he could also play it, while adding his own flair. In 1875, Bethune gifted Wiggins to his son, John, who toured with the pianist for the next eight years. The younger Bethune eventually lost his ownership of Wiggins after he abandoned his wife, Eliza, who apparently connected with the piano player. After returning to Georgia after an extensive tour with Wiggins, the couple went through a bitter divorce and legal wrangling that also involved Wiggins’ mother.

As we’ve reported the marriage was quite tumultuous and they’ve since parted, but guess who’s footing the bill? Or should we say guess who got a nice settlement?

Well, here’s a clue. The Why Did I Get Married and Empire actress referred to him as a “glorified assistant.” OK, cutting to the chase, according to the court documents, Smith was ordered to hand over nearly $7k/month in spousal support to Douglas. That’s on top of the $50k she already sent his way in December, according to TMZ.

On the other hand, the ex “assistant” didn’t get everything. Douglas had to give Tasha’s Mercedes back to her.

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/30/tasha-smith-ordered-to-pay-ex-husband-7k-in-spousal-support/feed/15TashaSmith_PRPhotosbawtonyapendletonKenny Lattimore Talks Reality TV, Divorce And New Record [VIDEO]http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/27/kenny-lattimore-talks-reality-tv-divorce-and-new-record/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/27/kenny-lattimore-talks-reality-tv-divorce-and-new-record/#commentsFri, 27 Mar 2015 09:30:55 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=377071]]>Singer Kenny Lattimore is among the few R&B singers who have maintained longevity in a tough industry. His latest CD Anatomy of A Love Song is out April 14th.

The album’s original title was Back To Cool but label/distribution drama delayed it so those expecting a new Lattimore release under that name should know that this is essentially the same project.

Lattimore is certainly known for his prowess as an R&B OG, but he’s also known these days as Chante Moore’s ex-husband. The two broke up over four years ago but Lattimore says Moore’s role on R&B Divas: LA made him feel like he was an unpaid cast member.

“I really thought that whole thing was a mistake,” he says. “I thought it was reckless and it was irresponsible to me. It hurt a lot of people and it hurt my son,” Lattimore says. “People get in relationships and think they have what they need and maybe they don’t and maybe they haven’t dealt with their own issues.”

Lattimore says Moore is a great person, but that during the relationship, he put his own career on the back burner to support hers.

I wanted her to win no matter what. I always thought she was one of the most amazing singers and beautiful and all that and I don’t think she got everything that she deserved. I think she wanted something else. I think she wanted something a little different.”

Iyanla Vanzant has fixed or tried to fix, a lot of troubled lives. Her latest fix-ee is actress/model Karrueche Tran, who for the last four years has beenChris Brown’s girlfriend of record. A few weeks ago, the world, and Tran, found out that Brown had a 9-month-old baby named Royalty. Apparently, Tran found out just like everyone else – via TMZ.

At that point, Tran announced, also via social media, that ‘A person can only take so much.’ And wished Brown good luck with his new family. As rumors abound that Brown is moving his daughter’s mother, a Tran acquaintance to L.A. from Houston, Tran talked to Vanzant for a special airing on OWN on Saturday, at 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. PT. Reports flew after that interview that Tran had kicked Vanzant’s crew out of her house, which Vanzant says is nonsense.

“That is not what happened at all. Reports said Karrueche Tran kicked Oprah’s people out of her house. Oprah doesn’t own me. (laughs) What happened was her manager was not pleased with the direction of the questions and he got upset and stopped the interview. And then she and I had a conversation and I said ‘This is what I’m here for what do you want,’ and we agreed and continued the interview.”

The question that prompted the temporary suspension of the interview was a pretty explosive one, but it’s one Vanzant says is important to acknowledge.

“I asked her the ways in which he was damaged and then said ‘What about you would attract a damaged man? In what ways are you damaged?”‘

Tran’s people wanted to focus on Tran’s life and upcoming projects more than her relationship, which Vanzant says that she does cover in their conversation. But obviously, Tran would not be a household name in many households without her relationship with Brown and the one-time love triangle she was in with superstar Rihanna, Brown’s ex-girlfriend.

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/27/iyanla-vanzant-talks-karrueche-interview-and-denies-getting-kicked-out-of-her-house/feed/4Iyanla: Fix My LifebawtonyapendletonAlmost Cool Dad: How To Lose To A Toddler With Gracehttp://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/27/almost-cool-dad-how-to-lose-to-a-toddler-with-grace/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/27/almost-cool-dad-how-to-lose-to-a-toddler-with-grace/#commentsFri, 27 Mar 2015 06:16:35 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=377082]]>My one-year-old son Liam and I have rough-housed since he was an infant, so it was no surprise that recently when he got angry with me for thwarting his plan to pour milk into my computer, he hauled off and slapped me across the face. It felt like that episode of Chappelle’s Show when Rick James showed Charlie Murphy what the five fingers said to the face. It was a complete shock and the only thing I could think of was that this little dude must think he’s Tupac.

Discipline was swift. No Thomas the Train, Wiggles or games on the iPad for the rest of the day. As we both sat in the living room in silence, I started to think about how strong his slaps had gotten and how much my life had changed since becoming a stay-at-home dad.

For one, I was a hardcore sneaker addict with close to 200 pairs and counting. Most of them were either limited edition runs or exclusive releases from overseas. I meticulously kept them in near mint condition, attempting to break the law of gravity when I wore them.

My gadget game was impeccable as well, upgrades galore on stuff that would make an Idris Elba James Bond scream like Flavor Flav if he saw them. Video games were never a problem either. I had every system with a library of the hottest titles. It was a young man’s American dream so the day Liam arrived, I had no idea what the adjustment process would be.

One of the first lessons learned was that babies have a gift of identifying the most expensive and/or fragile items in their surroundings. If you think military drones are no joke, put a baby in a room full of pillows and a $900 tablet. You’ll find out how quickly a screen can crack with the pillows untouched. My son still points to my expensive paperweight and laughs, mocking my parental naivete.

]]>http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/27/almost-cool-dad-how-to-lose-to-a-toddler-with-grace/feed/12father-baby-660_0.jpgbawtonyapendletonAaron Hernandez’ Fiancee To Testify In His Murder Trialhttp://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/27/aaron-hernandez-fiancee-to-testify-in-his-murder-trial/
http://blackamericaweb.com/2015/03/27/aaron-hernandez-fiancee-to-testify-in-his-murder-trial/#commentsFri, 27 Mar 2015 05:49:55 +0000http://blackamericaweb.com/?p=377076]]>FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) — The fiancee of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez will be called to testify in his murder trial Friday, two people with knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press.

Shayanna Jenkins was granted immunity by the court in February, which means she can be compelled to testify or face time behind bars. There had been a question over whether prosecutors would call Jenkins, who has been in a relationship with Hernandez, 25, since high school and is the mother of his 2-year-old daughter.

The two people spoke to the AP on Thursday on condition of anonymity because of a gag order that’s in place.

Jenkins, 25, has pleaded not guilty to perjury. Prosecutors say she lied to a grand jury investigating the June 17, 2013, killing of Odin Lloyd, who was dating her younger sister, Shaneah. Lloyd was found shot to death at an industrial park less than a mile from the home that Jenkins and Hernandez share.

Shayanna Jenkins has been coming to court sporadically and sitting behind Hernandez, whispering “I love you,” to him at breaks and occasionally joking with him. She has not appeared in court since March 6. That day, she was not wearing a large diamond engagement ring that she usually sported on her ring finger.

Shaneah Jenkins, 23, testified for prosecutors earlier in the trial. When she appears in court, she sits with Lloyd’s mother and other family members. During Shaneah’s testimony, Shayanna scribbled notes and then passed them to Hernandez’s lawyers at breaks and occasionally sighed as her sister spoke.

The day after the killing, Shaneah Jenkins testified, her sister asked to borrow her car to go get money for the house cleaners.

Shaneah testified she saw her sister carry a garbage bag to the basement. Surveillance video later played for the jury showed Shayanna then removing what appeared to be a box from the basement and putting it in the trunk of her sister’s car.

Prosecutors said before the trial that they believe the box contained the gun Hernandez used to kill Lloyd. The murder weapon has never been found.

The sisters introduced Hernandez and Lloyd to each other in August 2012, when, for Shaneah’s birthday, Hernandez got them a skybox for a Patriots game at Gillette Stadium.

Also Thursday, the trial was briefly disrupted by a bomb threat called in to the courthouse. No explosives were found, and employees were let back in about an hour later.